Vampires have come a long way. For decades, the pale undead bloodsuckers have been reasonably considered evil. Certainly not the kind of guy that a high school gal would want as her prom date. But in “Twilight,” Rob Pattinson’s Edward is the go-to guy for Kristin Stewart’s Bella. How have vamps moved from monster to hunk? Our theory: Because fair skin is in.

Unlike other vampire mythologies, the sun in the “Twilight” series doesn’t cause these undead dudes to die. Dracula had a particularly bad skin day the one time he went strolling on a sunny afternoon. The “Twilight” teens don’t blister or burn, but they twinkle and shimmer, making them stand out to their mortal peers. It doesn’t help that the twinkling effect looks particularly cheesy in the film.

Unlike the vicious vampire leader in “Blade,” who used an extremely high SPF sunblock to live to bite another day, Edward and his posse move to Forks, WA. Their motivation: the high latitude and cloudy climate limits their sun exposure.

Yet even non-vamp Bella sees the value in staying clear of the sun (and tanning beds). Like many actresses, Kristin Stewart has adopted the fashionably fair look favored by the new generation of ingénues. Why risk wrinkles, sun spots, and skin cancer just to look leathery brown?

Since tan-free skin has become vogue, not just for the goth set, vamps can step out of their coffins and into sports cars. Bela Legosi would be proud.

Runner-up, Sunscreened Teen:
Miley Cyrus

Pop pubescent Cyrus caused controversy when she appeared semi-bare for Vanity Fair. We feel she is still a great role model. Is her back sun-burned and blistered? We see no tacky tanning bed exposure here. If her generation stays this fashionably fair, future dermatologists will need to find work other than treating skin cancer and wrinkles.